The Alpha's Sweet Obsession

ap

i

ND

ampire," I called as Father Gallagh

did, but add to that his preternatural speed, and he wa

and we won't h

melled divine. Why did a pr

ding. The air shifted to damp and heavy, the scent of earth and age filling my nose. We re

eel at the alta

neel? He expec

de, on your knees.

but I'm not getting on my kne

xaggerated muscle. His understated black shirt and pants molded to his

d the desire to bounce a quarter off a man

ad taken regarding a man who’d married the Lord, I

ils flared angrily, and his intense, sapphire

t had we been talking about? Oh, right. He wanted to get me on my knees. Frankly, in a different situation, I might have conside

my feet resume their hurried steps as I moved into what I’d

ests wear

thought . . . he called you Prie

crucifix hanging on the wall. “So what’s all this, then? Sort

ime for questions had passed. Not that

order, Miss F

g orders from bloodsucking lee

t of repeating myself.” He grabbed me by the back of th

I’m not sure what it said about me that I pressed my thighs a little tighter together, his

just off to the left. “Your problem, Mis

minutes in my presence, huh?” His eyes t

ce you learn how to quiet your mind and focus, it

athing rumble that bounced around the room. “Let me save you a lot of time and frustration, preacher. Been there. D

spection. But lucky for you, I am well- versed in all matters of self-control and self-discipline. I have

Especially since my mind wanted to focus on the idea of what discipline at Father Gallagh

der of why I was here. Of wha

e else had failed? Fine. Let him try. What’s the worst that could hap

e trick he could teach me, I’d finally get the one thing I’d been fier

. My bi

g I’ve had to do, but the tile was unyielding beneath my kneecaps, a

od for the body. It

’m going to let you start beatin

tted the word yet? And why did my

to do now?” “Now you wi

I don’t think the big guy is goin

re told. Do I make myself clear? If that proves to be challen

, Father? I didn’t realiz

idn’t realize he’d put his hand over my mouth un

lagher’s hand fused over my mouth. I couldn’t open it if I wanted to. And I did. B

im. The dominance of his position, combined wit

d something else skittering through my veins.

til I tell you to. Bli

ired to follow his commands when de

nt thoughts will try to distract you. You will silence them. You will embrace the discomfort of your

n’t last nine minutes, let alone ninety. But he wouldn’t

u’re a fast learner, Miss

f my throat and hesitate a little longer than necessary at my collarbone before he returned to his

nd more soothing thi

T,” I w

n and y

all the way down until it reached my bra. Could he tell? Did he know I was abo

ad me hyperaware of his focus on me, even if my

s position. Pain spiked up from my knees, needles stabbing me over and over with every slight twitch of my muscles. Then his scent

ue pools. He was close. So close I could have kissed him if I’d want

g from his throat, but he didn’t look a

N

llon. If you know what’s goo

nt child, just like your g

ths of my chest. “Fucking right. Petulant. A disappointm

r second being a prisoner of his focus. But he gripped my fa

of me,

ulled together in a pained expression as confusion and conflict warr

re of what exactly was

me

rned him. “Now. Close your eyes and take hold o

we’d been working on this, he had resisted touching me, save for that first time when he’d forced me to the ground and held his hand over my mouth. Until tonight. Th

ou doing to

at before he answered. “

is

u see i

look away, but I couldn’t. There was no way to escape what was in my own mind.

ntrol my breathing and stop the tremors racking my body

ng faster than I could track. I reached for him, but he blurre

ha

our knees ar

l to spend ninety minutes on her knees wh

om the blood. And then I understood. “Oh. You w

rows, forged in concentration. Then he stopped and flicked his focus back to

ut

enough!

n he’d been angry with me, he’d kept his tone

ing abused and treated like shit, so I think I’m done with

st and pulled me close. “You’ll see me when I tell you. You want to be rid

s strength he could’ve shattered every bone in my wrist with one squeez

itch in the fingers of his left hand. Barely noticeable, but there. I opened

ap, my downy blanket and pillows cradling my ach

he snuck out to meet up w

e protection,” I ca

out of the door as my eyes l

less. Not tonight. But my exhaustion wasn’t due to running my limbs so hard they burned. This was my entire being. My soul. Caleb and what he’d he

ff voice reverberated in my mind, “Find

to go around. But seriously, did everybody just assume I wasn’t trying? What shifter in their right mind wants to be the lone member of the pack that can’t manage to do what they were born to do? I was left alone when

in the fi

ess was fucking g

e a good look at the freak. Pity her. Mock her. Ha

iar taunts closer to the surface than they had

keep around that part of myself. The sad little girl who didn’t understand

ho in my mind, even as I tried to push

the feel of the bed fading away until I simply floated in a sea of consciousness. Gone wa

it w

maybe a bunch of wild horses galloping in the distance. But then they grew closer until th

rumbling but a voice brushing against the barrier of my mind. It drew

e you

uessed. “No,

ess to the words that lies never quite matched. More than that, there was a familiarity in that warm, husky t

but the shields around you

shie

he care of those who could keep you safe. But they’ve found you. They’re coming for you. You need to unlock your power; it is the only way

you talk

ill kill you if given the chance. Do not let them.

ts to kill me

Wait. I have so

rs fading until I was once more floating in

ntil I was no